THREE Magazine - Volume 1 | Issue 2

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JIM PLAISTED

DESIGN DIRECTOR MONICA DORO

LAYOUT DESIGNER LUCY RAASCH

MANAGING EDITOR RUTH LAWSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

LAURIE ARENDT, NAN BIALEK, BOBBY TANZILO, JORDAN DECHAMBRE

STAFF WRITERS RUTH LAWSON, CELESTE BRUNNER

PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC HALVERSON

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MARK FROHNA, REVPOP

PROOFREADER DANIELLE COTEREL

EDITORIAL AND STEERING COMMITTEE

LEANN MESTER, MAL MONTOYA, JANET RAASCH, KATHLEEN DOHEARTY PENNISTON, MADDIE SEYMOUR, KATE STRZOK, TRACEY WADSWORTH

PUBLISHER

HISTORIC THIRD WARD ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT JACK R. LEMMON 525 E CHICAGO STREET, SUITE 102 | MILWAUKEE, WI 53202

OFFICE@HISTORICTHIRDWARD.ORG

PRINTED AND MAILED FOX CO. PRINTING

THE HOLIDAYS IN MILWAUKEE’S HISTORIC

THIRD WARD. It’s an idyllic scene. The bustle of friends gathering for brunch on a wintery Saturday, shopping for loved ones and enjoying the culture and art of the neighborhood. It feels good to celebrate in-person again, and we have much to be thankful for among our mix of old and new architecture, storied history and the promise of what’s ahead in 2022. As a longtime professional and personal resident of the Ward, I love the palpable energy I feel when I walk the streets of the Ward — it’s what makes it electric during the holidays and, frankly, every season of the year! This issue of THREE celebrates the magic of the neighborhood because you, the residents, have planted roots here, and businesses have invested — and endured. These are the efforts that, even during our darkest hours, have sustained the magic that can’t be replicated. So, let’s raise a glass to toast us, and ring in the New Year with hope, friendship and a renewed commitment to making the Historic Third Ward a warm, welcoming place to call home for the holidays and all year long. Creativity - Cuisine - Culture. It’s all here.

KATHLEEN DOHEARTY PENNISTON PRESIDENT, BRANIGAN MARKETING COMMITTEE CHAIR, HISTORIC THIRD WARD ASSOCIATION KDOHEARTY@BRANIGANINC.COM

EVENTS 12

Winter is coming and so is your need to get out of the house. Feast your eyes on the many events coming up in the area.

ARTS 14

(Under)study the impact of the pandemic on the Third Ward’s performing arts industry and how they’re returning to the stage after 18 months.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING 16

Need to expand your wish list? Check out the unique fashion, accessories, and more: all in the Historic Third Ward! You’ll need your Christmas bonus for this one.

DINING 21

Wow your dinner party guests with warm and welcoming appetizers, entrees, and beverages. From Tied House to Onesto, find tips on where to dine in or out for the holiday season.

ARCHITECTURE HISTORY 28 +

Old and outdated are anything but synonymous at The Pritzlaff Building. Discover the rich history and future of this historic building complex. Restaurants, event venues, and more!

WORKSPACES 32

Want a healthy dose of workplace envy? Take a tour of the spacious and beautiful Eppstein Uhen Architects and Physicians Realty Trust offices. Perhaps it’s time to update your resume.

SALON SPA 34 +

Self-care is the best care. Gift yourself or loved ones the rewind of a lifetime at a luxurious Third Ward spa.

AT HOME 37

Loft or gallery? Tim and Sue Frautschi discuss moving to the Third Ward, their art collection, and more.

AROUND THE WARD 38

Here’s what you may have missed over the summer. Take a look back on the exciting events from the Historic Third Ward Association.

Find the care you need, close to home

Appointments available at Ascension Medical Group - Third Ward

From the routine to the unexpected, you can count on compassionate, personalized care from care teams at Ascension Medical Group - Third Ward. You’ll be connected to the care you need, right in your neighborhood. Our doctors and care teams start by listening to understand you and your health concerns. We are maintaining strict precautions to help keep you and your family safe in our care.

Services include:

• Primary care

• Obstetrics

• Lab services

• X-ray and imaging services

• Behavioral health

• Vaccinations

To schedule an appointment, call 414-441-4898

Ascension Medical Group - Third Ward

174 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202

• Sports physicals

• Blood tests

• Screenings, and more

Photo: @beccaeshleman

We Are Hiring!

FALL & WINTER EVENTS

MILWAUKEE HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL

NOV. 18 – JAN. 1

Lights, camera, Christmas! Take a stroll or drive through more than 500,000 lights throughout downtown Milwaukee. Don’t miss the perfect opportunity to get a last-minute Christmas card moment! Visit milwaukeedowntown.com/ bid-events/milwaukee-holiday-lights-festival for more information on how to celebrate.

HISTORIC THIRD WARD ASSOCIATION PRESENTS

CHRISTMAS IN THE WARD

DEC. 3

Sleigh the holiday season and kick off December right — celebrate Christmas early in the Historic Third Ward! Sip hot cocoa, sit on Santa’s lap, and mingle with friends in Catalano Square. Yule be sorry if you miss this explosive event. Head historicthirdward.org/experience/events/christmasto plan your countdown to Christmas.

HOVER CRAFT

DEC. 5

A crowd-favorite handmade shopping destination is back and better than ever! Shop from over 100 local artists, crafters, makers, designers and creatives. Give your loved ones the gift of handmade goodies or simply bring them along for a good time. Find more event information at hovercraftmke.com.

SANTA’S CHRISTMAS CAVALCADE

DEC. 10 & 17

Stand smitten in your mittens with holiday cheer and witness Christmas magic atop a fire truck! With Santa and Mrs. Claus accompanied by jazz artist Sarah Fierek, it’s not an event to miss. To find out how you can join in on the yuletide spirit, visit milwaukeeholidaylights.com for more.

GALLERY NIGHT MKE

JAN. 21-22

Need a reason to get out of the house this winter? Start the new year off right and join us for the first gallery hop event of 2022. Buy original art, shop unique boutiques or dine at an award-winning restaurant, all in the city of Milwaukee! For more information on how to turn your weekend into a masterpiece, visit gallerynightmke.com.

*Due to developments surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, all times and dates are tentative and subject to change without notice.

@spsarchitects

Stephen Perry Smith Architects

Stephen Perry Smith Architects, Inc.

Located in the Third Ward

215 N. WATER STREET | SUITE 250 | MILWAUKEE, WI 53202

See our website for more informa�on spsarchitects.com

D O N ' T C H A N G E

# F I N D Y O U R S E L F I N S T E A D

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DIM THE HOUSE LIGHTS

IT’S FINALLY TIME FOR A

By Laurie Arendt | Photography By Mark Frohna

What’s the worst thing that can happen to a performing artist and performing arts group? Keep the curtain closed and empty the stage. That nightmare became reality for 20 months due to COVID-19, and Milwaukee’s arts groups are thrilled to finally see their curtains open.

“It feels amazing to be back together,” says Milwaukee Ballet Artistic Director Michael Pink. “Our state of mind is one of confidence, and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. When this all started, none of us had a clue as to what would happen.”

Twenty months of no, limited or virtual performances, bare bones and/or lost staff, limited or independent training for dancers, minimal interaction with the community – it may have dampened these artists’ spirits, but they’re thrilled to be back.

Brent Hazelton, artistic director of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, uses two words to describe the mood in his organization: Excited. Profoundly. And also, a third: Exhausting!

Not only is the company excited to be back, they’re doing so with a significant number of new staff members who joined after the pandemic hit.

w“SO, AS WE’RE NAVIGATING HOW TO MOST SAFELY CREATE OUR WORK AND WELCOME AUDIENCES BACK INTO OUR THEATERS, WE’RE ALSO CREATING PROCESSES FOR THE COMPANY AS A WHOLE AT THE MOST BASIC LEVELS,” HE SAYS. “WHICH IS ALSO A TREMENDOUS AND EXHILARATING OPPORTUNITY TO REINVENT PRACTICES, THAT IS ALSO EXCEPTIONALLY RARE IN COMPANIES AS LONG-STANDING AS MCT.”

A similar situation is happening at the Skylight Music Theatre, where Executive Director Jack R. Lemmon says they contracted to a staff of nine and sent everyone home.

“We have so many people back now – the actors, the musicians, the scenic carpenters, the stitchers – it’s just wonderful,” he says.

“WE’RE BACK, AND THE AUDIENCE IS BACK.”

ASHLEY OVIEDO (AUDREY) IN REHEARSAL FOR SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF “LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.”

All the organizations want to see their audiences at capacity again, and it’s one of the best ways you can support them. They’ve also made it easy for the audiences: COVID requirements are collectively the same at all performances. Expect to wear a mask and show photo ID as well as proof of vaccination.

“But even more than that, please come and then talk up the performance to the community,” asks Pink. “Let them know you felt comfortable, that you felt confident in the measures being taken.”

And for the record: You are allowed to slip your mask down at intermission, and savor both a glass of wine and the fact that the live arts are back in Milwaukee.

CATCH A PERFORMANCE THIS WINTER

THE MILWAUKEE BALLET

‘THE NUTCRACKER’ | DEC. 10–26

“It’s the traditional ‘Nutcracker,’ the one you’ve grown up with and love, and you’ll feel like you’ve finally come home for the holidays,” says Michael Pink. “But we have plans for a new ‘Nutcracker’ in 2023, and we’re starting a campaign to help fund that now.”

‘GENESIS’ | FEB. 3-13

Held at the Baumgartner Center for Dance in the Historic Third Ward, this competition features three emerging choreographers who will compete for a contract in a future season.

MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATRE

‘THE THANKSGIVING PLAY’ | NOV. 19-DEC. 19

‘WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS?’ | JAN. 21-FEB. 13

“We’re psyched about our whole season, a roster of shows that continues Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s historical role as a leader in developing and supporting Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s theater artist community while telling stories from unique voices that audiences won’t see anywhere else,” says Brent Hazelton.

SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ | NOV. 19-JAN. 2

‘ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME’ | JAN. 14-30

‘RAISIN’ | FEB. 11-27

“‘Ernest Shackleton Loves Me’ – it’s really quirky and really interesting, and it even includes footage of Shackleton’s journey to the Antarctic,” says Lemmon. “And ‘Raisin’ is so appropriate for Black History Month. It’s very powerful.”

MICHAEL PINK’S “THE NUTCRACKER.” PHOTO COURTESY OF MILWAUKEE BALLET.

FOR THE HOLIDAYS

By Jordan Dechambre

Third Ward business owners and residents alike flock to their neighborhood boutiques to find the perfect gifts for everyone on their lists ... and a little something for themselves, too!

Photography By Eric Halverson

(OPPOSITE PAGE)

LYNNE DIXON SPELLER

ACADEMIC DEAN/CHAIR, DESIGN DEPARTMENT, EDESSA SCHOOL OF FASHION

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES: LELA BOUTIQUE

BOOTS: (SHOO)

GLASSES: WISCONSIN VISION

(RIGHT) ROB LEVIN

OWNER, 2A WINE MERCHANTS

CLOTHING: HARLEYS CO

ADAM & MELISSA WEBER OWNERS, TIED HOUSE

ADAM’S CLOTHING: HARLEYS CO

MELISSA’S CLOTHING: SOHO BOUTIQUE

MELISSA’S GLASSES: WISCONSIN VISION

SHOES: (SHOO)

STUD EARRINGS: A TRIO JEWELRY

SUNGLASSES: WISCONSIN VISION

HOME ACCESSORIES: MOD GEN

COAT: LELA BOUTIQUE

RING: A TRIO JEWELRY

HOME ACCESSORIES: MOD GEN

TRACEY WADSWORTH

THIRD WARD RESIDENT

CLOTHING: LELA BOUTIQUE

CLOTHING: MILWORKS

GLASSES: WISCONSIN VISION

MARCELIA NICHOLSON

CHAIRWOMAN, MILWAUKEE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

SUPERVISOR, 5TH DISTRICT

THIRD WARD RESIDENT

CLOTHING: SOHO BOUTIQUE

RINGS: A TRIO JEWELRY

EARRINGS: (SHOO)

MAL MONTOYA PRESIDENT & CEO, MILWAUKEE ARTIST RESOURCE NETWORK

UP ON THE ROOF FOR THE holidays

By Nan Bialek | Photography By RevPop

UNDER A SPARKLING ROOFTOP DOME at Café Benelux, this holiday season’s ambience promises to be more luxurious than ever. Trevor Nackers, director of marketing at Lowlands Group, notes that Benelux has just upgraded to globe-like structures popularized at Western ski resorts. The new Lux Domes provide even better protection from weather, infrared heaters and panoramic views of the Third Ward.

“Café Benelux is a truly unique location for our guests to commemorate their special occasions. Throughout the year we have one of the most epic patios in the city,” Nackers says, “so why stop in winter? The Europeans embrace winter and are hearty ‘patio people,’ and you know what? So are Wisconsinites.”

The restaurant has been offering domed winter dining since 2018. Other cafes in the area followed suit, offering their own cool weather outdoor dining spots.

“THE THIRD WARD IS A UNIQUE LOCATION FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS ALIKE, AND THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE TO HAVE A TRULY UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCE, WHETHER GATHERING WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY, A ROMANTIC DATE NIGHT, CELEBRATING A SPECIAL OCCASION OR HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES, ALL WINTER LONG.”

Six Lux Domes are available for 90-minute reservations for groups of up to eight guests. Each $200 reservation includes a beverage package of the party’s choice. “In addition to the full Café Benelux menu being available to order from this year,” adds Nackers, “we also have curated cheese and charcuterie plates, mezze, hummus and dessert plates that guests can preorder to be ready for them when they arrive.”

TO THE SEASON!

Tied House, on the corner of Erie and Water, is known for its entertaining patio themes and delicious imbibing. To welcome the holidays, owners Adam and Melissa Weber offer a DIY version of a Tied House hot buttered rum with a twist!

The original version of this festive drink was a hit at last year’s Tied House ChaletApres Ski theme season, and now you can savor this signature cocktail at home for an intimate gathering or an individual treat.

THE ‘BUNNANA HILL’

Batter makes 50 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pint vanilla ice cream

2 sticks butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Nutmeg (optional)

Cinnamon stick (optional)

Banana liqueur (optional)

Dark rum

Hot water

BATTER

Combine and beat into a frostinglike consistency:

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon (Leftover batter can be frozen.)

SERVE

Combine in a heat-safe 8 oz. mug: 1 tablespoon of batter, 1 oz. of dark rum and .5 oz. banana liqueur. Fill with hot water and stir contents briskly. To garnish, grate nutmeg on top and add a cinnamon stick.

Photography By Eric Halverson

Surprise your guests with a tasty tomato bruschetta appetizer, a pasta entrée of fusilli or a warm mushroom salad. Chef Alexander Sazama, corporate executive chef at Hospitality Democracy (Blue Bat, Onesto, Smoke Shack, AJ Bombers), shares these delicious ideas for holiday entertaining.

HONEY ROASTED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

INGREDIENTS

8 Roma tomatoes

2 sprigs fresh thyme

3 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 tsp Kosher or sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

16 baguette slices

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Sazama, who oversees all food and beverages at Hospitality Democracy’s four restaurants, says he loves being challenged: “I love to have a creative outlet for any sort of dish that I want to put out into the world. The thing I love about our restaurants is we create really high-end food and do it in a way that’s affordable.” The restaurants, he notes, can be a destination for an event “and also your Monday lunch spot!”

PREPARE TOMATOES: Roughly chop Roma tomatoes, place in a mixing bowl. Combine honey, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper in the bowl and mix.

Place mixture on a large sheet pan and bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes. Remove tomatoes and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer tomatoes to a storage container and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

PREPARE CROSTINIS: Lay out 16 slices of baguette bread on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350° until crispy (approximately 5-8 minutes).

Remove bread from the oven and set aside until ready to build.

BUILD BRUSCHETTA: Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta on toasted bread. Top with 3 tablespoons of roasted tomatoes. Drizzle with honey.

Photography By Eric Halverson

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup blanched asparagus, chopped 1 inch in length

4 cups pasta (fusilli noodles recommended)

2 cups heavy cream

3-4 Tbsp truffle oil

Kosher salt to taste

2 pinches pepper

Garnish with parsley

FUSILLI

Place a medium-sized sauté pan onto the stove top and warm the pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add mushrooms, 1/4 cup of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir mushrooms carefully with a wooden spoon. Once the oil has been absorbed by the mushrooms, lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and heavy cream and allow the cream to reduce for 2-3 minutes. Add pasta and a few pinches of salt and continue to cook until you notice the sauce sticking to the noodles and not the pan. Stir in truffle oil, add a pinch of salt and 2 pinches of pepper. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and enjoy.

Pasta note: You can use fresh or dried pasta for this recipe. I recommend a shaped pasta like fusilli or rigatoni rather than spaghetti or fettuccine.

FRESH PASTA: Boil for 3 minutes prior to adding to the sauce.

DRY PASTA: Cook pasta to al dente, per package directions, strain and toss with a small amount of olive oil and carefully stir so as to not burn yourself. Transfer pasta from the strainer onto a baking sheet pan to cool. Note: Don’t rinse the pasta as it will remove all the starch that you want to transfer into the sauce.

CHEF ALEXANDER SAZAMA OF HOSPITALITY DEMOCRACY

WARM MUSHROOM SALAD

CARAMELIZED MUSHROOM INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 Tbsp shallots, diced

1 tsp Fresno peppers, diced (optional)

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh sage, diced

1 tsp fennel seed

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp butter

Salt to taste

2 pinches pepper

SALAD INGREDIENTS

All of the caramelized mushrooms

2 good handfuls arugula or your favorite greens

1/4 cup dried cherries

3 Tbsp pine nuts

2 Tbsp fresh basil, sliced

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Pinch of Kosher salt

Pinch of pepper

Drizzle of salad dressing (Italian, raspberry, olive oil or balsamic vinegar)

Place a medium sauté pan onto the stovetop and warm over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add mushrooms, half of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Carefully stir the mushrooms with a wooden spoon.

Once the mushrooms have soaked up all the olive oil, add the remaining 1/4 cup, reduce the heat by half and add a pinch of salt. Allow the mushrooms to cook for 2-3 minutes. (Do not over-stir the mushrooms as contact with the pan will not happen if the mixture is stirred too much.)

Add shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add Fresno pepper, sage, garlic, and fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute. Carefully add balsamic vinegar and cook until the liquid from the vinegar is gone, about 1 minute. Add butter, a pinch of salt and cook for 1 1/2 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow mushrooms to cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes prior to making the salad.

Use a large mixing bowl for assembly of the salad. Add arugula, mushrooms, cherries, pine nuts, fresh basil, salt, pepper, and dressing. Toss the salad with tongs until the dressing has coated the greens; add goat cheese. Toss for 10-15 seconds longer, transfer to a serving platter, and enjoy!

THE PRESENCE OF the Pritzlaff

By Bobby

THE NEWLY INSTALLED LIGHTING that shoots beams of color up the yellow cream city bricks at the Pritzlaff Building, 333 N. Plankinton Ave., also illuminates the contrast between the huge complex’s current appearance with how it looked just a few years ago.

A little over a decade ago the more than 300,000-square-foot complex was lifeless, its windows in need of repair, its bricks blackened by decades of soot, weeds popping through the concrete.

The lights are a shining manifestation of just how much owner Kendall Breunig has achieved at the Pritzlaff complex, the oldest building of which dates to 1875.

Breunig’s Sunset Investors bought the six connected buildings in 2005 and set to work renovating and populating them. Now, there are shops, coworking spaces, restaurants, offices, event venues and dozens of apartments. But getting there wasn’t easy.

“The interior and exterior were pretty bad,” says Breunig. “There were about 50 broken windows and the city had issued an order to board up all the windows. Lots of pigeons were inside and several homeless squatters.”

Breunig hauled out more than 200 Dumpsters worth of junk remaining from the previous owners, Hack’s Furniture. “But the roof was good and did not leak,” he adds, “so the timber frame was solid.”

In 1875, Prussian immigrant John Pritzlaff built the first of the cream city brick buildings on the site as a new home for his hardware business, which had been located on Third Street. As Pritzlaff’s business continued to grow, so did his real estate holdings on Plankinton and St. Paul avenues. In time, his hardware kingdom would occupy all corners of the intersection.

Pritzlaff died in 1900 leaving behind a fortune and a thriving business that his son Fred would run until his own death a half-century later. Fred’s son Edward became president in 1952 and sold the company six years later.

The new owners shut down Pritzlaff Hardware and sold the complex to Hack’s, which closed in 1984, leaving the buildings mostly vacant and decaying.

Tanzilo | Photography By Eric Halverson

In addition to conventional bank financing, Breunig used state and federal historic tax credits to fund the project. These credits, say UWMilwaukee architecture professor Matt Jarosz, are often the key to the expensive renovation of historic buildings.

It’s a funding source that has become widely used in the Third Ward and has helped the neighborhood retain its historic building stock.

“We would have fewer buildings developed,” says Jarosz, who is also the Third Ward Architectural Review Board staff and executive director of the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Places. “Ken was a pioneer. Without the tax credits, I don’t think that that project would have been done. He had the vision; he knew that there was something good there and just looks after it lovingly.”

But there was a time, when the economy was in a tailspin, that Breunig began to question his decision to take on such a huge project. In 2009, he says, funding had dried up.

“I was pumping in up to half a million a year for several years just to hold it,” he recalls. “(The years) 2010-2013 were pretty tough, and I did consider trying to find a way to get out. That was most definitely a time where I had second thoughts of what I had gotten into.”

But then things turned around. In 2012, he opened two event halls and two years later, Ward4 coworking spaces opened.

SINCE THEN, THE PRITZLAFF HAS ADDED 100 APARTMENTS, RETAIL STORES, A NEWLY BUILT PARKING STRUCTURE AND, ON THE FIRST FLOOR, APERITIVO RESTAURANT AND THE EXPLORIUM BREWPUB. NOW, THE PRITZLAFF IS NEARLY FULL.

The buildings are stunning period pieces. Beyond the gorgeous cream city brick – and some vintage Pritzlaff ghost signs – on the outside, inside there are the kind of hulking solid old growth beams you couldn’t get today. Plus, there are vintage safes with hand painted doors, hardwood floors and interesting hardware store remnants, like a cyclone slide that was used to send merchandise to the lower floors from storage areas above.

Breunig, who has a passion for history, has displayed countless Pritzlaff Hardware objects and memorabilia throughout the complex.

“Ken has completely transformed the building and gave as much care and thought to the restoration as anyone could,” says Richard Kerhin, who owns and operates Aperitivo. “His attention to detail and history, along with a willingness to make the financial commitment it often takes to restore an old building are a rare thing nowadays.

“SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT HAVE FOUND A LOT OF WAYS TO CUT CORNERS AND MAKE MORE MONEY, (BUT) KEN RECOGNIZES THE VALUE IN DOING THINGS WELL. IN MANY WAYS HIS WORK ETHIC AND PHILOSOPHY MIMIC THE IMMIGRANT WORK ATTITUDES AND SKILL THAT MADE MILWAUKEE A GREAT CITY.”

The same things lured Mike Doble to open his second The Explorium Brewpub at the Pritzlaff. “You just can’t buy the authenticity of the place, and that’s what we’re all about,” Doble says. “My attraction to the Pritzlaff Building is that the warmth of the space speaks for itself.”

APERTIVO IN THE PRITZLAFF BUILDING

Breunig is always looking for ways to improve the Pritzlaff, too. Hence the lighting, which was designed in-house by Breunig and his electrical contractor, Brighter Connections.

After a year of planning and testing – and some equipment delays caused by the pandemic – the lights were installed this summer.

“We have started to do programming beyond just the static color selections,” Breunig says. “I am looking forward to a wave of green and gold rolling across the building. We will be joining a number of other downtown buildings in coordinating lighting for different events. Our first test was green for the Milwaukee Bucks.”

Still, Breunig is not done. He’s got one more project on his wish list for the Pritzlaff Building. “I would like (to) put the water towers back on top,” he says, though there’s no timeline for that work to begin. “I have the original water tower design drawings, so I can get them to be pretty accurate.”

WARD4 IN THE PRITZLAFF BUILDING

RESTORED SAFE DOOR AT THE PRITZLAFF

MIAD GALLERIES ARE OPEN!

Exhibitions on view now through Dec. 4, 2021

Constant Practice: New Work from MIAD Faculty Brooks Stevens Gallery

Reimagining the Global Village

Frederick Layton Gallery | Curated by Nirmal Raja ‘08 Free admission

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Visit miad.edu/gallery for more info on exhibitions and events.

WORK

By

Although the Historic Third Ward is known for its unique restaurants, chic boutiques and engaging cultural events, it is also the home of some of Milwaukee’s leading businesses.

Eppstein Uhen Architects and Physicians Realty Trust are just two of the noteworthy firms that are headquartered here.

Now, as companies are reopening their spaces and recharging operations, a Third Ward location is proving to be an asset for attracting and retaining top talent.

Founded 114 years ago, Eppstein Uhen moved to the Third Ward in 1998, when the company purchased the building at 333 E. Chicago St. Its clients include Fiserv Forum and the Deer District, Froedtert Health, the Marriott Tribute Hotel and the new Komatsu Mining Corp. headquarters.

“WE SAW THE POTENTIAL OF THE THIRD WARD EARLY ON, AS WE LIVED, WORKED AND EXPERIENCED THE AREA,” explains CEO Rich Tennessen. Proximity to Milwaukee’s downtown was also an important factor in the decision to buy the building. He notes that transit, access to parking, bikes and walkability make the Third Ward accessible to all parts of the city. Staff members can also walk to Summerfest and the city’s summer festivals.

Kristin Dufek, the firm’s president, appreciates the walkability, not just as she heads out to client meetings, but to grab a quick bite at the Milwaukee Public Market or enjoy lunch at a nearby cafe. But her favorite spot in the Third Ward is “the sixth floor space. I go up there and look at the Hoan all lit up and just look at the city and see what the city has to offer,” she says.

About 140 of the firm’s 200 employees work at Eppstein Uhen’s Third Ward headquarters (the others work at offices in Madison and Denver.) HR Director Bob Norman says location “absolutely is a factor” in hiring and retention: “For people from Milwaukee and Wisconsin, they are familiar with the Third Ward and excited about being in it. For those who are coming to Milwaukee, they love the neighborhood and often move to the Third Ward.”

Loving the neighborhood is likely one of the factors in Eppstein Uhen being named one of the area’s ‘Top Work Places’ by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for nine consecutive years.

Nan Bialek | Photography By Eric Halverson

EPPSTEIN UHEN ARCHITECTS

Physicians Realty Trust is also a multiple “Top Work Place” award-winner – and its headquarters was designated “Milwaukee’s Coolest Office” by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2019. The company, which invests in medical office buildings throughout the U.S., was founded in 2013. Before long, the firm outgrew the space it had originally occupied.

“WE NEEDED SOME OF THE COOLEST SPACE IN MILWAUKEE, AND WE CLEARLY JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CHARACTER, AMENITIES AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY IN THE THIRD WARD,” SAYS MARK THEINE, A FOUNDER OF PHYSICIANS REALTY TRUST. HE ADDS THAT IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR TO SECURE A CONTRACT TO BUY THE 309 N. WATER ST. BUILDING, BUILT IN 1896, “AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO MOVE IN ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMPANY.”

The organization continues to grow both its portfolio and its team, with 65 staff members in Milwaukee and another 35 around the country. The space has been adapted to accommodate that growth and reflects the Physicians Realty Trust tagline, “Invest in Better.” Leann Mester, director of corporate marketing and communications, points to the company’s fitness center and its community room, dubbed “The DOC Exchange” after the company’s New York Stock Exchange listing, as examples.

THEINE SAYS ADJACENCY TO THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MARKET IS “A HUGE ATTRACTION, AND THERE’S A LOT OF GREAT HOUSING IN THE THIRD WARD THAT’S ATTRACTIVE FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS. SOME PEOPLE EVEN WALK THE RIVERWALK TO WORK.”

One of the first projects after moving into the building was to find a partner for the Riverwalk level, Theine notes. That space, which originally had a dirt floor, was transformed into The Black Swan MKE, an event venue hosting weddings, conferences and charity events.

“It’s a ‘go-to’ spot in the Third Ward now,” Theine says. “You walk out the door on a Friday night and you can’t help but see wedding parties walking in the space between us and Blue Bat Kitchen.”

Mester points out that the Third Ward can also serve as an introduction to Milwaukee for the hundreds of property managers that Physicians Realty Trust brings in for conferences every year. “We plan fun events to showcase the city,” she says, “and everyone who comes to Milwaukee leaves saying, ‘Wow, we never knew Milwaukee was such a fun and great place to live.’”

PHYSICIANS REALTY TRUST

By Nan Bialek

EASY indulgence

Get ready to sparkle during the holidays by taking time out to pamper yourself — and your friends — in the Historic Third Ward. Find everything you’ll need to feel relaxed and camera-ready for the social season at local salons, spas, and personal services destinations.

A visit to a luxe spa can be a social event in itself, suggests Dana McIntosh, owner of Urbaine Oasis Spa Boutique. One of her clients, for instance, invited a group of coworkers to a “re-learn makeup” class with McIntosh, a welcome “refresh” after more than a year of minimal makeup. Small groups can book facial and body treatments and bring in their own treats and beverages for a personalized celebration.

At Neroli Salon & Spa, owner Susan Haise points out that spa packages are resurging in popularity this year, as everyone is getting ready to enjoy together time with family and friends. Neroli is open weekends, but Haise recommends a leisurely weekday visit. Be sure to reserve your time well in advance (use Neroli’s app for easy scheduling). Neroli’s group coordinator works with groups of three or more to coordinate services like mani/pedis, facials, Ayurveda and Ashiatsu massage therapy.

Charlotte Fairburn, owner of Aesthetics 360º Face & Body Center, a medical spa, also suggests that you book now if you want to be glowing on New Year’s Eve, because many skin treatments, like Botox, “take a while to settle in and for the results to be seen. We want to make sure we’re bringing out the best and (clients) are looking like themselves, but the best version of themselves.” The spa also offers facials with no down time, such as SaltFacial, available only in medical aesthetic practices.

Spas can also be a source for holiday gifts, such as indulgent bath and body products and gift certificates. Treat yourself to a beautiful experience — Haise suggests you shop the Third Ward in the morning, enjoy a spa treatment in the afternoon and meet friends for dinner in the evening, renewed and ready for your closeup.

“YOUR SKIN WILL NOT ONLY LOOK GREAT THAT DAY, BUT FOR DAYS TO COME,” FAIRBURN SAYS.

AESTHETICS 360 OWNER CHARLOTTE FAIRBURN

NEROLI SALON & SPA OWNER SUSAN HAISE (FAR LEFT) AND TEAM

5D ACUPUNCTURE

222 E. Erie St., Suite 150 | 414-514-1320 | 5Dmke.com

AESTHETICS 360 º FACE AND BODY CENTER

233 N. Water St., Suite 200 | 414-210-4073 | A360mke.com

ARCH APOTHECARY

249 N. Water St. | 414-585-0539 | archapothecary.com

ARCHAMBEAU’S

419 E. Menomonee St. | 414-272-1028 | archambeaussalon.com

CARRIE MURPHY L.A.C.

316 N. Milwaukee St., Suite 314 | 414-389-8881 | carriemurphylac.com

DRYBAR

243 E. Buffalo St. | 414-395-8075 | thedrybar.com/locations/milwaukee

GROOM FOR MEN

330 E. St. Paul Ave. | 414-298-2076 | groomformen.com

G.S.S. BODY WORKS

316 N. Milwaukee St., Suite 302 | 414-915-3059 | gssbodyworks.com

H2O – HEALTH HYDRATION OASIS

130 N. Jefferson St. | 262-277-1018 | healthyhydrationoasis.com

HUNDRED GRASSES ACUPUNCTURE

316 N. Milwaukee St., Suite 446 | 414-379-3726 | hundredgrasses.com

THE INSTITUTE OF BEAUTY AND WELLNESS

327 E. St. Paul Ave. | 414-227-2889 | ibw.edu

IVME

331 N. Broadway | 262-230-2190 | ivmenow.com

JAY BY THE BAY MASSAGE

222 E. Erie St., Suite 150 | 414-949-7576 | jaybythebay.com

LASH DOLLS

407 E. Buffalo St. | 414-207-2889 | lashdollsmilwaukee.com/third-ward-mke

NEROLI SALON & SPA

327 E. St. Paul Ave. | 414-227-2888 | nerolispa.com

ROSE AESTHETICS

159 N. Jackson St., Suite 101 | 262-751-6820 | kaylaroseaesthetics.com

RPM BODYWORK

231 E. Buffalo St., Suite 503 | 414-395-3220 | rpmbodywork.com

SALON AMROZE

525 E. Chicago St. | 414-550-7788

SEVVA SALON & NAIL BOUTIQUE

229 N. Water St. | 414-291-8888 | sevvamke.com

THE SHOPPE

155 N. Milwaukee St. | 414-224-1474 | theshoppemke.com

SOLA SALON SERVICES

505 E. Menomonee St. | 262-385-3891 | solasalonstudios.com

SOMATIC ARTS MASSAGE

231 E. Buffalo St., Suite 201 | 414-491-5158 | somaticartsmke.com

TUNED AND TRANQUIL MASSAGE

342 N. Water St., 6th Floor | 414-755-9024 | tunedandtranquilmassage.com

URBAINE OASIS SPA BOUTIQUE

231 E. Buffalo St., Suite 305 | 414-526-1113 | urbaineoasisspa.com

WITH SUE & TIM FRAUTSCHI

By Laurie Arendt | Photography By Eric Halverson

While they freely admit there’s room to disagree, Tim and Sue Frautschi’s approach to collecting art can be described in two words: art democracy.

“We decided long ago that we would only buy something if we both liked it,” says Tim Frautschi. It’s an approach that has worked out well for the couple, who officially started collecting together when they were married 40 years ago and bought an oversized olive oil pot on their honeymoon in Greece. But their primary interest has remained in contemporary art, specifically African American artists.

“We love to travel and we always visit art museums and galleries,” said Sue Frautschi. “I became a docent at the Milwaukee Art Museum in 1989, and we joined the Contemporary Art Society.”

These elements combined to create a magical synergy that has resulted in one of the city’s most dynamic contemporary art collections.

“We also love supporting local artists,” says Tim Frautschi. “It does tend to be more affordable, but it also gives you an opportunity to get to know the artists personally.”

Though they differ on the selection of their current home, a corner loft atop the Marine Terminal Lofts at 311 E. Erie St., to feature their collection. The result is a perfect backdrop for their art-filled life.

Sue Frautschi, who currently is chair of Friends of Lakeshore Park, notes that “it’s a contemporary space that works with our collection,” she says. “We lived and had our collection in a traditional house before this.”

The move to Marine Terminal also helped evolve the collection. With the reduction in wall space and abundance of light, they sold several prints and moved the limited photography they did have into the interior guest bedroom to shield it from sunlight.

And while the move brought them into the Third Ward, a neighborhood they both love, it also brought them closer to the art world in a very literal sense: Their proximity to Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design means that they often host fundraisers and receptions with visiting artists.

“WE REALLY ENJOY OPENING UP OUR HOME, HOSTING THESE ARTISTS AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL,” SAYS TIM FRAUTSCHI.

AROUND the Ward

SCULPTURE MILWAUKEE

(RIGHT) HTWA MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION BBQ

(ABOVE) 2021 THIRD WARD ART FESTIVAL

(RIGHT) WORLD’S LARGEST COFFEE BREAK AT CATALANO SQUARE

Photography By Eric Halverson

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